Flight Risk

7 - Clarke Home

After our flight arrived in Manitoba Thursday afternoon, the day was a wash, given our brutal combination of jet lag and over 24 hours spent in airplanes and airports. Caleb's eyes hardly stayed open on the ride to my parents' place, and my mom stopped with her question brigade once neither of us could give coherent answers.

We pulled up in front of a dark brown brick two-story home with a two-car attached garage and a large three-piece window on the left side. We'd just gotten our bags pushed off to the side on the vinyl plank flooring when my mom beamed at us.

"Caleb, can I offer you a tour?" My mom asked.

"I'd love that, Denise," he said, despite his drooping eyelids.

She took us around the main level's large kitchen, the attached family room, dining room, and living room, plus the rec room and exercise space in the basement, and the three bedrooms and bathroom upstairs. When we arrived back in the kitchen, she offered him half the fridge's worth of food and drinks when what he looked like he needed the most was a bed.

"I feel like the living dead," I whispered to him as my mom leaned on the granite countertop and chattered on about how the neighbour had changed their siding to a very unfortunate colour I hadn't noticed.

She eyed us both and must have heard me as she said, "I'll let you two rest and pick up a few things for dinner. Any special requests?"

I looked at Caleb, who shook his head.

"Anything you prepare will be wonderful. And you don't have to go to the trouble," he said.

"After travelling this far and taking care of our Audrey, who can be very... strong-willed and independent, a delicious meal is the least I can do."

While I was happy to consider myself both, her tone implied the opposite. It sounded like she was trying to pay him for ridding me of the single label that plagued her or bribe him to stick around. He reached out and held my hand, which brought comfort I didn't realize I needed.

Caleb tilted his head to the side and studied Denise through sleepy eyes. "Audrey's a delight, not sure why it warrants a special meal."

"To celebrate you two!"

I yawned. "Whatever you want, Mom. We'll both catch some rest before it's ready if that's alright."

"Of course."

After we got the Wi-Fi information from my dad, Caleb took off to the guest room. I assumed he had people back home to catch up with or wanted to crash and let him be.

Pete approached with a smile. "It's good to have you home again."

"Thanks, Dad. It's nice to be back." In some ways, it was, and in others, I missed my quiet room in Labuan Bajo.

"Are you heading upstairs too?"

My dad was easier to visit with when my mom wasn't controlling the conversation and correcting half of what he shared.

"I can stay down here for a bit."

He looked toward the living room. "I have the computer all set up to back up your photos if you want."

I nodded and dug through my carry-on for the hard drive he'd bought me when I left. Once he set it up and they cycled through, I babbled on about the different dives from the ones visiting the manta-ray cleaning stations where we admired the huge majestic animals, though when I went with clients there always seemed to be one or two divers getting to track down because they veered off course and got swept away in the strong currents. My dad smiled and asked me more about the fish species and which dives were my favourite. He didn't mention Trevor or ask when I planned to move home.